Friday, October 11, 2013

Leg 5B: Cronin's Point to Mineral's Road, Long Pond

We left the Kelligrews Pond area and the trail disappeared. It became a dirt road, with a pick-up truck coming toward us. We were pretty sure this was still the T'Railway track so on we went.

The shore side had an occasional wide section, suitable for sitting and sizing up the marine traffic.

In Foxtrap we found undeveloped open space (just waiting to be turned into a subdivision of 100 houses) and then - wow! - a farm. With pumpkins, no less.

Then we walked through the Foxtrap Marina where a few boats were still in the water.

The trail had reappeared but with this puzzling sign. What gives?

Here the trail leaves the ocean and heads inland. We had a rare sighting, a couple wheeling their baby in a stroller. The trail consisted of hard-packed earth in this area so wheeling was possible though by no means easy.

The T'Railway crossed the Conception Bay Highway but neither route bothered to inform its users of the intersection. Not a sign to be found. On the other side of the highway it took us a few moments to locate this inauspicious entrance to the trail.

The trail passes through an area with established housing and mature trees on the right and open land on the left. A couple of small brooks flow through.

This small property was another reminder of the farming heritage of Conception Bay South.

At the junction of the CBS Highway and Mineral's Road we finished the day's hike and returned to the vehicle we had left in Sobey's parking lot.

Stats:

Distance: 7 km

Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Litter: The open beaches had flotsam. Some building materials near new construction. Modest amount of discarded food packaging.

Trail condition: Lots of washouts and potholes between Upper Gullies and Kelligrews Beach. Then a wide gravel road until Foxtrap Marina. Inland from Foxtrap to Mineral's Road there was packed earth with some very rough gravel spread here and there.

Scenic Rating: ***

Fellow users:

Motorized: a trike carrying two male youths, no helmets; two fancy quads with young males wearing helmets; one kid on a dirt bike, a pick-up and van on the Foxtrap road section.

Walkers: about 10, including a couple with a baby, 6 women singly or in pairs, a man alone and a man with a dog.